EMMETSBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Regular Meeting
Board of Education
January 20, 2021 Minutes
All motions are unanimous unless otherwise noted.
The Board of Education of Emmetsburg Community School District met in a regular session on January 20, 2021 at 5:30pm in the HS Library.
Present: Jane Hoyman, Bill Huberty, Kathy Roethler, Aaron Dietrich, Val Morton, Katy Thomsen, Scott Kibbie (by Zoom)
Absent: None.
Also Present: Darren Hanna, Lisa Chapman, Tracie Christensen (by Zoom), Tim Rodemeyer, Tyler Bjustrom, Sara Straw, Kelly Josephson, Robin Hauswirth, Joe Schany, Jill Schany
Mike Dunlap
Jane Hoyman, President, called the session to order at 5:30pm, acknowledged the fact of a quorum.
TEACHING & LEARNING: Impossible to I’m Possible
In response to current conditions in today’s environment, administration created the “Impossible to I’m Possible” program. Administration has awarded and will continue to award staff that take extra steps to lead the students and district. Staff awards included the Preschool Team, Darca Saxton, Renee Iverson, Holly Keenan, Amy Thompson and Brett Hansen.
Approval of Agenda: Morton moved to approve the agenda. Seconded by Thomsen. Motion carried.
REGULAR MEETING
CONSENT ITEMS: Huberty moved to approve the consent items. Seconded by Roethler. Motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS
Board Policies: Policies 409.4-409.7 were rescinded. These policies were moved to the Handbook. Moved to approve the rescission and seconded. Motion carried.
Student Activity Fund Reports from November: Morton moved to approve the transfers to correct accounting in the student activity fund. Thomsen seconded the motion. Motion carried.
EDUCATIONAL NEWS
High School: Mrs. Christensen reviewed enrollments. Middle School is down two students from the beginning of the year. High School is also down two students from the beginning of the year. Enrollments are very fluid with a family enrolling three new students today. Students’ credits at Iowa Lakes Community College for first semester were reviewed. There were three failed classes costing the district $1,701. This number is down from previous years. The first semester grades were reviewed at the High School. Most of the classes that were failed were online. The Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) program at the High School was reviewed. Christensen spoke of her vision. A meeting was held today with the AEA to go over the action plan for Portrait of a Graduate.
Middle School: Mr. Rodemeyer recognized the Students of the Week: Jacob Fox, Addison Weir, Tristen Hasbrouck and Bronson Dietrich. Online students are now using the Apex online program. There are seven students using the program in Middle School. They are working on getting the program to run smoothly and troubleshoot with parents when needed. Rodemeyer talked about the PBIS program in the Middle School which has been in place for quite some time. Mrs. Josephson is heading up an innovation project with some of the 5th and 6th grade students. The goal is to have student voice and choice in creating a solution to the missing work problem that students have.
Elementary: Mr. Bjustrom talked of the students that made clay figurines of people they look up to. ISASP testing dates are coming up. There are two student teachers in the building. Bjustrom recognized the staff that received the Impossible to I’m Possible awards in the last couple of weeks. West plans to have the Preschool Open House on February 24. Details will be in the paper soon. Bjustrom informed the board about the PBIS program at West and recognized Amy Thompson who has worked to polish the program.
NEW BUSINESS
Personnel: Thomsen moved to approve the resignation of Chad Francis as Assistant Varsity Softball Coach to be able to accept the position of Head Varsity Softball Coach. Roethler seconded. Motion carried. Huberty moved to approve the following contracts: Ben Thomsen-Head Boys & Girls Track Coach (was previously only Girls/1 year only)-Additional $1, 474, Dave Rubis-Assistant Varsity Boys & Girls Track ($3,186), Chad Francis-Head Softball Coach ($4,660), April Buss-Assistant Varsity Softball Coach ($3,186). Seconded by Kibbie. Motion carried.
Board Policies: Policies 501.04-501.12 were reviewed. They will be presented for a second reading in February.
COVID Leave Policy: The previous federal legislation expired December 31, 2020. The district will be receiving ESSER II funds to help pay for any expenses related to COVID. Mr. Hanna is recommending that the district continue the resolution for the district until the end of the school year. Roethler moved to approve the following resolution:
The resolution allowing employees satisfying one of the three standards noted below to be eligible for two weeks of leave capped at 80 hours paid at the employee's full regular compensation rate expired on 12/31/2020 For a part-time employee it is the number of hours equal to the average number of hours that the employee works over a typical two-week period. Please select the applicable reason and follow the related instructions.
I am unable to work or telework for the following reasons:
___I am quarantined pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order.
___I am quarantined on the advice of a health care provider due to COVID-19 concerns.
___I am experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis.
The Emmetsburg Community School District extends the provisions of the expired resolution to those employees who have not previously used the allowable additional 80 hours of COVID leave through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. If a staff member has previously used the 80 hours of COVID leave, the staff member would then be eligible to use their first Sick Leave, if they run out of Sick Leave they could use then use Personal Leave, and if they exhaust their personal leave, they could then use emergency leave for remaining time. All leave must be substantiated by our school nurse and/or Palo Alto County Community Public Health when using this additional COVID leave.
Seconded by Thomsen. Roll call vote: Roethler, Morton, Kibbie, Hoyman, Huberty, Thomsen, Dietrich. Motion carried.
It is vital that staff who are positive or have been exposed to a positive case do not come to work with the possibility of spreading the virus. Teachers will have the option of teaching from home if applicable. In such cases no sick leave will be needed. The District will be able to use ESSER II funds to cover the cost associated with this extension.
ADJOURNMENT: Kibbie moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:07pm. Seconded by Thomsen. Motion carried.
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Board President Board Secretary
